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Itasan Posted 20 years ago
Vocabulary
abbreviation point
I see these:
1. Mr; Mrs - BrE
2. Mr.; Mrs. - AmE
3. AM; PM - BrE
4. A.M.; P.M. - AmE
I wonder if the same applies to the following:
assn; adj; adv; Apr
In the UK, is it more common to do without the
abbreviation point in such cases?
Thank you.
1. Mr; Mrs - BrE
2. Mr.; Mrs. - AmE
3. AM; PM - BrE
4. A.M.; P.M. - AmE
I wonder if the same applies to the following:
assn; adj; adv; Apr
In the UK, is it more common to do without the
abbreviation point in such cases?
Thank you.
Top answer
I have never noticed a difference between BrE and AmE, but perhaps there is one. One rule I learned, that is certainly not universally observed, is that a full stop is not needed if the last letter of the abbreviation is the same as the last letter of the word abbreviated. It is interesting that Mr and Mrs are never written as full words when followed by someone's name.
- I have never noticed a difference between BrE and AmE, but perhaps there is one.
- One rule I learned, that is certainly not universally observed, is that a full stop is not needed if the last letter of the abbreviation is the same as the last letter of the word abbreviated.
- It is interesting that Mr and Mrs are never written as full words when followed by someone's name.
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9 Answers
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I have never noticed a difference between BrE and AmE, but perhaps there is one.
One rule I learned, that is certainly not universally observed, is that a full stop is not needed if the last letter of the abbreviation is the same as the last letter of the word abbreviated.
It is interesting that Mr and Mrs are never written as full words when followed by someone's name.
One rule I learned, that is certainly not universally observed, is that a full stop is not needed if the last letter of the abbreviation is the same as the last letter of the word abbreviated.
It is interesting that Mr and Mrs are never written as full words when followed by someone's name.
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BrE
(1) Strictly speaking, all such abbreviations require a full stop (to show that they are abbreviations).
(2) However, when an abbreviation is very frequently used, the full stop is often omitted, as in Mr and Mrs. Another example of this omission is in a modern Language Learners Dictionary, where the abbreviations adv. adj. n. v. etc. are everywher
(1) Strictly speaking, all such abbreviations require a full stop (to show that they are abbreviations).
(2) However, when an abbreviation is very frequently used, the full stop is often omitted, as in Mr and Mrs. Another example of this omission is in a modern Language Learners Dictionary, where the abbreviations adv. adj. n. v. etc. are everywher
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(2) However, when an abbreviation is very frequently used, the full stop is often omitted, as in Mr and Mrs.
American English a period i.e. full stop is used after Mr., Mrs., Ms. regardless of frequency of use.
American English a period i.e. full stop is used after Mr., Mrs., Ms. regardless of frequency of use.
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Thank you very much, everybody, for the valuable information as always.
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0 This information is incorrect. 02 br
02 br
00 One uses an abbreviation point only when the word is shortened, that is, when it is abbreviated. 02 br
02 br
00 Mr. is a shortened form of Mister, and Mrs. is a shortened form of Missus. Regardless of frequency, these words are always abbreviated (an abbreviation point is always used). 02 br
02 br
02 br
00 One uses an abbreviation point only when the word is shortened, that is, when it is abbreviated. 02 br
02 br
00 Mr. is a shortened form of Mister, and Mrs. is a shortened form of Missus. Regardless of frequency, these words are always abbreviated (an abbreviation point is always used). 02 br
02 br
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0 This is an old thread. I think some of the information above is incorrect. Many style guides nowadays recommend dropping the period for Mr, Mrs, am, pm, etc. 0-
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0 Yes, this is an old thread, and yes there are differences between BrE and AmE. 02 br
02 br
00 I would consider it incorrect to drop the period after Mr. or Mrs. on an American document. 02 br
02 br
00 While the style 7 PM is okay without the periods, 7 am without them is not generally accepted in any American style guide. 0-
02 br
00 I would consider it incorrect to drop the period after Mr. or Mrs. on an American document. 02 br
02 br
00 While the style 7 PM is okay without the periods, 7 am without them is not generally accepted in any American style guide. 0-
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0 I see. Thanks Barbara. Yes, the style guides I read are mostly for British publishers. 02 br
02 br
00 The examples in the Style Guide of BBC, the Economist and the Guardian are Mr without the dot. 02 br
00 The Chicago Manual of Style and US Govt Printing Office use Mr. with the dot. 0-
02 br
00 The examples in the Style Guide of BBC, the Economist and the Guardian are Mr without the dot. 02 br
00 The Chicago Manual of Style and US Govt Printing Office use Mr. with the dot. 0-
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0 I've returned this thread to "regular" format, as the "question and answer" format can cause confusion, in a discussion of this kind, with a compound question. 02 br
02 br
00 In response to the original question, I would agree with Forbes that in BrE books and academic journals, a contraction (e.g. Revd) tends not to take a stop, whereas a truncation (e.g. Rev.) does. 02 br
02 br
00 In response to the original question, I would agree with Forbes that in BrE books and academic journals, a contraction (e.g. Revd) tends not to take a stop, whereas a truncation (e.g. Rev.) does. 02 br
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